Presidential Security Corps (Dominican Republic) Explained

The Presidential Security Corps (CUSEP, es|Cuerpo de Seguridad Presidencial) is a Specialized Security Corps of the Dominican military responsible for the safety and personal protection of the President of the Dominican Republic, the Vice President, their immediate family members, former Presidents and Vice Presidents, and visiting dignitaries and heads of state. The unit is jointly composed of members of the Dominican armed forces and the National Police.^[3]

History

CUSEP was created on June 7, 1929 by direction of then President Horacio Vásquez and was originally given the name of the Assistant Corps (es|Cuerpo Ayudante).

In 1947, the organization was reorganized as the Corps of Military Assistants.

In September of 2013, the Congress of the Dominican Republic again re-organized the Corps under its current name.

Organization

The existence of certain sub-component units within CUSEP have been publicly acknowledged by the Dominican government, including the following.^[4]

The identity and purpose of units S-3 and S-4 are unclear. Additionally, there are known to be units responsible for Public Relations, Psychology, and K-9 operations.

Authority

The Corps derives its current organization, mission, and authorities from Article 56 of the Organic Law of the Armed Forces.^[5]

Embezzlement Accusations

On April 24, 2021, the Attorney General of the Dominican Republic and the Special Prosecutor’s Office for the Persecution of Administrative Corruption announced the arrest of General Adan B. Cáceres Silvestre, the chief of CUSEP from 2012 to 2020 under an anti-corruption investigation code-named Operation Coral.^{[6] [7]} General Cáceres is one of 48 individuals charged with involvement in a network which allegedly abused their authority to embezzle over four billion pesos from the Dominican state.^{[8] [9]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: En un acto simbólico, el presidente Abinader entrega más de 500 carnets premium del SENASA a los miembros del CUSEP . November 7, 2020 . Pagina oficial del Cuerpo de Seguridad Presidencial . Ministerio de Defense de República Dominicana . January 6, 2023 .
2. Web site: Contacto CUSEP . Presidencia de la República Dominicana . Presidencia de la República Dominicana . January 6, 2023 .
3. Web site: Historia CUSEP . Pagina oficial del Cuerpo de Seguridad Presidencial . Ministerio de Defense de República Dominicana . January 6, 2023 .
4. Web site: CUSEP inaugura y embellece diferentes áreas de sus instalaciones . August 11, 2022 . Presidencia de la República Dominicana . Presidencia de la República Dominicana . January 6, 2023 .
5. Law . 56 . September 13, 2013 . 39-13 . El Congreso National de República Dominicana . Ley Orgánica de las Fuerzas Armadas de la República Dominicana . Organic Law of the Armed Forces . Spanish.
6. Web site: Ministerio Público arresta al general Cáceres Silvestre, a la pastora Rossy Guzmán y a otros tres implicados en hechos de corrupción administrativa . Procuraduría General de la República . Departamento de Prensa . January 6, 2023 .
7. Web site: Judge decides today whether to vary imprisonment of Major General Adán Cáceres, main suspect in Coral case . September 26, 2022 . Dominican Today . Dominican Today . January 6, 2023 .
8. Web site: Coral: Dominican generals embezzled +US$83.0M . November 19, 2021 . Dominican Today . Dominican Today . January 6, 2023 .
9. Web site: El Ministerio Público avanza en la presentación de pruebas periciales contra implicados en Caso Coral y Coral 5G . January 3, 2023 . Procuraduría General de la República . Departamento de Prensa . January 6, 2023 .